Disclaimer:I own nothing but the plot. I do own Aeryn and Aleeria. Shoutout to Cat for helping me on this story and letting me use Grigore and Patches. XD. Enjoy!:)
Aleeria walks gracefully down the halls of the ancient Volturi castle. She passes by the throne room and she hears a voice softly call out to her—it is her father's, calling her by name. Wondering what her father could need, she turns and walks into the grand room and notices three others in the room besides her father. The first of the three is her mate, Grigore; the second, the one closest to her father, is her adopted little brother, Patches. The last one was a vampire she knew to be Jasper Whitlock's little sister…Aeryn, she thought her name was. "Did you need something, Father?" she asks, coming to stand beside her mate. "Why is a Cullen here?"
"I'd like to know that, myself," said a feminine voice with a Texan accent.
Aro smiles slightly at his daughter. It was true that every vampire in his coven was dear to him, but Aleeria was his flesh and blood. However, if she disobeyed him, she received the same punishment as everyone else in the coven. "Hello my dear," he says, ignoring the other girl who had spoken. "I have a mission for you, Grigore, Patches and Aeryn."
Aleeria's eyes shot up into her eyebrows before a worried look appears on her face. Her father was sending her on a mission, even though she was not a guard. He was even sending Patches, which worried her. He was her little brother who hardly ever left her father's side unless he was with her or tending to his garden. "Why are you sending us four on a mission?" Stepping a bit closer to her mate, she looks up at him, briefly trying to see if maybe he knew the reason before turning her head to gaze at her father.
"A dear friend, if you will, named Dumbledore is facing war, and he is in need of some guards," Aro explains in his soft yet unwavering voice. "I am sending you four because I know you will do well in assisting them."
"And what happens if we must fight?" the girl Aeryn speaks up. She obviously has a death wish, or she likes to speak out of turn, Aleeria thinks, looking at her briefly. The girl was around 5'5" with medium-length layered honey-blond hair and golden eyes. She was curvy with a slight athletic build. "And what kind of name is Dumbledore?"
Aro sighs softly. "Aeryn, do not speak out of turn. Dumbledore once saved my life when I was a newborn, and he asked for a favor. That is all. If you must fight, do so with stealth," he says in a voice that left no room for argument. "Now, as I was saying, you are to go and protect the Order—especially the 'boy who lived.' Apparently, he is an essential aspect of their war. One of you must spy on the Death Eaters and find out what Voldermort's secret weapon is. I do not care who it is, so long as they are not seen. Do I make myself clear?"
"Aye, Aye, Captain," Aeryn replies with a semi-sarcastic salute. She isn't a part of the Volturi and still wonders why she is being sent for this mission. Aleeria nods her head, saying that she would do as told.
"Very good," Aro says, looking at Grigore and Patches. "Dear ones: do you understand?" he asks, knowing they did but wanting to hear them confirm it. "Oh, and Grigore, you are in charge." Aro reaches down without looking and pets Patches hair.
"Thank you, sir," Grigore answers, accepting the role of authority. Positions of leadership never fazed him. He was the eldest son of a Count, after all. "I understand." All eyes now focused on the littlest and youngest vampire of the bunch.
"I…" Patches whimpers as he looks up at the Volturi king. "I do not understand." He fervently shakes his head. "I-I am a houseboy, Master. I cannot fight!" He was a vulnerable, timid soul. Asking him to offer himself to confront enemies was like asking him to tie himself down to train tracks. "I belong here, with you!" The auburn-headed boy's wide-eyed expression is a clear plea to not send him away.
"I know, dear one," Aro says, gently petting his head once more. "But you must go with them. There is someone coming to the castle who I do not wish you meeting. He is not a nice man, and would try to take you away. You will be safe with these three." He gestures to the other three in the room. "Isn't that correct?" He gazes at each of them in turn to offer up words of confidence.
"Of course," Aleeria says, stepping away from her mate. Her hand gently grazes his as she walks away and over to Patches, kneeling down so she is eye level with him. She smiles softly. "It will be alright, little brother."
"Yes sir," Aeryn says, her voice very serious. "We will keep him safe." The Volturi were not her favorite people in the world but she understood their laws...well, most of them, but she would protect Patches as well, even though he was a stranger to her.
"You can trust zhat I vill protect you vith my life," Grigore speaks up in his thick German accent. He smiles at Patches, revealing a pair of long white canine teeth.
"I trust you," Patches replies quietly, meeting Grigore's eyes. He and the German vampire both migrated from Transylvania to Italy. It was Grigore who had taught him English when Aro first brought Patches to the castle. They forged a subtle brotherly bond ever since.
Aro smiles just a tiny bit at his dear houseboy. "Do you see? You will be much safer with them." He hoped Patches understood his reasons for sending him on this mission. If this other vampire got a hold of him, he would harm him and anyone who tried to stop him. Sending him on this mission was the best bet. He knew Patches would be safe with Grigore and Aleeria, and he was sure that Aeryn would keep him safe as well. He was worried about his daughter, but that was mostly due to the mission, and he suspected she would deviate from the mission and cause trouble. He trusted Grigore as the leader to keep her on the task at hand.
"When do we leave?"Aeryn asks, stepping forward a bit.
Aro turns to his head to look at her. She brought up a valid question. "In two days, you will all board a plane to England, and when you land, a man named Sirius Black and one named Remus Lupin will be awaiting you and will take you to the Order's location."
"And then what?"Aeryn asks with a tilt of her head. "What happens when we meet these men?"
"You will give them a code to show that you are who they are meeting," Aro says to the whole group. "Now, the code is Twizzler." he says exchanging glances with unamused faces. "I didn't pick the code; it was in the letter. Dumbledore is partial to candy." He steps down from his throne. "I will leave you four to discuss things before leaving. Aleeria, Patches: come see me after you are done." With those words, he leaves the room.
Watching her father leave the room, Aleeria stands up and ruffles Patches hair gently—the way an older sister would to a little brother. "I believe introductions are in order," she says, walking over to her tall, leather-clad mate. "Patches, come over here, please." She holds out her hand to him. Patches understood the signal and joined Aleeria at her side. "Love, will you go first?" she asks Grigore, looking up at him. "And why are you in charge? Shouldn't the eldest person be in charge?" She inquires teasing him just a bit.
Grigore turns to Aeryn in particular, since the other two were his coven friends and knew him well. "Ich heiße Grigore von Krolock," the tallest figure in the room declares with a regal nod of his head in the stranger's direction. Born in the old Germany of the Holy Roman Empire in the early 1600s, Grigore was the eldest son of Der Graf von Krolock, a prestigious Count. He had moved to Transylvania just before he was turned at a young age of twenty-five. "Und zhis ees my mate, Aleeria." He threads a hand through the ebony hair at his side and grins. "I am een charge because your father demands eet." He really did not need more reason than that, but he supplied one regardless. "I also have more ground experience een combat…Princess." He stresses the word with an exaggerated air, knowing Aleeria's status as Aro's daughter required her to have special protection at nearly all times.
"Pleasure to meet you all. I am Aeryn Whitlock. I'm Jasper's little sister, but I'm sure you all knew that," Aeryn replies with a smile and a chuckle before she looks over at Patches. "And who might you be?" she inquires of the younger, shorter male.
"I'm c-called Patches," he introduces himself meekly from Aleeria's other side. He couldn't follow up Grigore's well-polished introduction. "I-I don't have any f-fighting experience," he admits, letting his head fall. "I'm s-sorry if I get in the way…" He hated putting anyone at a convenience, even if his master commanded it. Despite lacking combat skills, he could offer the group his loyalty and obedience. He only hoped that would be enough to be treated kindly by the others.
Aeryn smiles at him. "It matters not if you can fight. What matters is helping others when they think they themselves can no longer fight. Besides, you are not, and will not, get in the way, darlin." She uses the word lightly as she calls most everyone she meets by the pet name. "I can teach you simple moves if you would like," she offers.
Patches gives her a bittersweet smile. "I a-appreciate the offer, but you d-don't understand." He struggles to think of how he would explain his reasons to her without revealing too much. "There's…an emotional wall th-that keeps me from a-aggression." He didn't need to tell her that he had been taught as a human to expect great pain following even the slightest bodily gesture of offense. There was a reason Aro assigned him housework when the rest of the coven members were sent on missions and patrol duties.
Aeryn smiles in understanding of what Patches had told her. "Fighting isn't everything, you know," she states.
"Oh, yes. I thought that's who you were," Aleeria nods to Aeryn as she turns to her mate. "I've told you about calling me princess." She pouts mockingly, her mouth twitching as she tries not to giggle. "And you may have more experience, but I have something you don't."
"Hmm-mm, yes…" Grigore muses. "Many zhings. My heart? Or, how about a closet of dresses?" He taps his chin half-jokingly. "I know! Big, beautiful Brüste!" he laughs heartily, cupping his hands in the air above his chest.
Aleeria gasps and playfully slaps him on the chest over his hands. "And when have you ever seen my Brüste, ya pervert?" She laughs while trying to look stern, but can't as the laughing breaks the façade. "You just wait; I'll get you for that," she promises.
Grigore raises a hand in defense, not about to spoil the first moments with Aeryn with relationship banter. "Forgive me, dear. Eet vas only a joke." His composure was restored to seriousness.
Aleeria leans slightly against her mate. "You are forgiven," she tells Grigore with a kind smile. She reaches a hand over to Patches to take his, gently giving it a squeeze to show she was with him and to give him courage if he needed it.
"Now, ve vill leave een two days' time," Grigore continues. "I suggest ve each prepare a light traveling bag for zhe trip." He meets Aeryn's golden eyes. "Miss Vhitlock, have you brought your belongings?"
"I did. Alice packed me some stuff. It seems she already knew I was going on this trip. Sometimes, having a mind reader, an empath, and a future-seer can get very annoying."
Grigore nods in agreement, only being able to sympathize with the latter power. "Believe me, vith Aro und Marcus here, ve know zhe feeling." Aro's power was by far more intrusive than Edward's, but Grigore and the rest of the Volturi have learned to be content with that. He turns to Aleeria and Patches. "Go now, und pack your bags," he instructs. "I shall stay vith Aeryn until you are finished."
Patches didn't need to be told twice. He gives Aleeria's hand a parting squeeze and leaves the group to head to his room in the castle basement.
"Yes, sir," Aleeria smirks and giggles. "Never knew you to be so demanding. It's a whole new side of you. I love it." Chuckling, she leaves the room to go pack. On the way there, she starts thinking of the mission and hopes she would be able to complete the mission with the other three.
Aeryn shakes her head. "Is she always that way?" she questions. "I thought Marcus's power was bonds, as in, he can see who people are bonded to." At least, that was what she assumed.
Grigore grins, his eyes following Aleeria on her way out the door until she was no longer visible. "Ja, she ees a fickle one. Eet takes some getting used to." He considers her description of Marcus. "You are correct. He sees relationships und loyalties. He can be considered somezhing of an empath, vhich ees vhat you mentioned earlier." Now that he is alone with the stranger, he takes the opportunity to get to know her better. "So, vhat exactly does Aro vant from you? You must have somezhing valuable, like a gift, or a special skill?" He knew the raven-haired ancient to not be one to take chances when it came to assembling mission teams. However, Grigore thought it more than shocking to hear that a mission of many unknowns was going to be undertaken by himself—a mere patrol guard with the power to stun from a distance—Patches, a skittish houseboy of many oddities, Aro's own daughter who has no extensive training in physical combat who had the power of blinding others, and finally, Aeryn—a plausible nobody from the Washington coven where the Cullens lived. If Aro had called her in, she had to be a vampire of impressive value.
(Two Days Later...)
Aleeria walks into the throne room carrying a backpack and a small bag, her black hair up in a messy pony tail wearing dark denim skinny jeans, a silver scoop-neck sweater that showed off her cleavage, yet was still modest as well. On her feet, she wore a pair of black pumps. Setting the bags down, she waits for the others. Moments pass before Aeryn walks in, carrying two bags. Her honey blonde hair is down and she wears a red headband in her hair. She had on a baby blue V-neck shirt, black denim jeans and dark brown cowgirl boots.
"Are we just waiting for Grigore and Patches?" Aeryn inquires, looking at the door. Aleeria nods as she also stares at the door for the other two. Aeryn glances over at Aleeria. "What kind of leader is Grigore? Is he the best person for the job, or did he get it because he is your mate? And what of this "Patches" kid?" she questions, wanting to know more about them.
"He certainly did not get the job of being the leader of this mission because he is my mate!" Aleeria responds, quickly turning to the other girl. "Grigore is a great leader. He knows how to plan and how to command others to listen without using force. He is a great strategist—one of they best leaders I have ever met, and I'm not just saying that because I'm in love with him." She spoke about her mate with pride and respect. "What about Patches do you want to know?"
"Seems like he is a great leader," Aeryn replies, tilting her head. "Well, he is a bit strange. Sweet, but strange…like he is afraid of people." She frowns a bit, hoping she didn't offend Aleeria by saying anything mean about the younger male.
"Patches had a rough past. When he first came to the castle, he was scared and frightened of everyone and everything. Even after my father turned him, it took him years before he would let anyone but my father touch his hair. Patches is close to Grigore and my father," Aleeria answers as she remembers how Patches used to be.
"Are you close to Patches as well?" Smiling, Aleeria nods.
"Yes, we are. He and I are like siblings. I am very protective of him." Aeryn nods and turns back to the door. From what she could see, Aleeria cared deeply for both Grigore and Patches both in different ways. To Aleeria, Grigore was her mate, the man she loved, and her best friend, and Patches was like Aleeria's little brother.
"Where is Grigore from? He isn't from here—that much I can tell—but I can't quite place his accent. It is familiar, but can't place the country."
"Grigore and Patches are both from Transylvania. Grigore's accent is German in origin and stayed strong, while Patches' is not as strong anymore," Aleeria replies, not looking away from the door. Her eyes had a distant look to them as if in thought as she told Aeryn about where both Patches and Grigore were from. She was worried about this trip. "How will we hunt?" she wonders to herself. "What is taking them so long?" she mutters, more to herself then to the other girl in the room. Soon, the door opens and Grigore and Patches jog through, both clutching a bag each. Grigore initially smiles at the ladies in greeting, but then narrows his eyes with dissatisfaction.
"Vhere are your cloaks?" he inquires, his tone tense but not out of anger. "Ve are meeting a plane een less zhan an hour. Ve must leave right now!" Grigore and Patches were well-covered from the glistening effects the sun rays had on their skin. Grigore wore his usual black leather jacket with many pockets and zippers over a solid black turtleneck. Jutting out of a jacket pocket was a shiny pair of polarizes aviator shades. His long coal-colored hair was neatly pinned back into an equally dark, hooded cloak. Patches wore a dusty light gray cloak over a light blue dress shirt that he wore with silver slacks. His fluffy, unkempt auburn hair wisped around the sides of his cloak hood. Nonetheless, he would be comfortably protected from the light of day.
Aeryn kneels down reaching into one of her bags and pulls out a zip up hoodie,putting it on she pulls the hood up covering her head to protect herself from the sun's rays,"There is my "Cloak"."
"Wish it wasn't so sunny out."Aleeria mutters as she kneels down to get her cloak from her bag,after retrieving said object she stands and puts it on covering her head with the hood. "We should really get going."She looks around at each of them."Is everyone ready?"
"I am"Aeryn confirmed picking up her bags."
"I am ready."Patches whispers with a nod of head holding up his bag. Honestly he didn't want to leave the castle and go on this mission but Master Aro wanted him to go and he knew that Grigore and Aleeria would keep him safe. Even the other vampire Aeryn would protect him, so he would go.
Aleeria nods and walks over to Grigore."See we are all ready to go."Reaching up she kisses his cheek.
Grigore let out a low chuckle and wraps an arm around her waist pulling her close to him,he kisses her forehead."Vhat vas that for?"He questions with a smile on his face.
"You looked like you needed a kiss to calm down"
"That Vill not calm me but this vill."Grigore says with a smile his face inches away from hers before closing the distance between them and kisses her lightly on the lip. "Now ve really should be going."
"Yea we should. Got a mission to do." Aleeria grabs her bags and smiles a bit to cheerful."Let's go."Grabbing Grigore's hand she heads for the door trying not to show that she was worried about the mission.
Grigore looked over at Aleeria,He could tell from the way she was acting that something was up he would figure it out soon. Following her he motions for the other two to follow them and soon they all head to the plane.
(About an hour later...)
Almost an hour later the four vampires find themselves at a private airport a man is waiting there for them. He is short with greying hair and blue eyes. He is wearing a pilots uniform.
"Hello I am Dylan. I will be your pilot."The older gentleman greets them."You must be Grigore,Patches,Aleeria and Aeryn."
Each one nods in turn as the man mentions each of them by name. Patches stared up at the plane a look of terror on his face.
"Hallo, Dylan. Eet ees a pleasure to meet your acquaintance," Grigore speaks up, offering his hand in greeting. Grigore catches Patches' expression and touches the younger male's shoulder. "He has never flown before," he explains to their pilot. "Have you piloted long?" he questions, thinking Patches would trust a history of experience.
Dylan shakes his hand."Yes sir. I have been flying planes for forty years now."He replies in answer to the question."If you will follow me I will show you where you can store your bags."The man turns around and climbs the stairs to board the plane.
One by one Grigore,Aleeria and Aeryn board the plane with Patches following after them. Once aboard the pilot shows them where they can put their bags. "Please have a seat. We will be leaving shortly so please fasten your seatbelts."The pilot turns and walks away going into the cockpit.
"Well we may as well get comfy."Aeryn says as she takes a seat and fastens her seat belt.
Both Grigore and Aleeria take their own seats,fastening their belts. Patches takes a seat beside Aeryn and puts on his belt. Sounds of the plane being started could be heard before a loud whirrling sound of the planes engine could be heard. Grigore,Aleeria and Aeryn all wince as the sound hit their sensitive ears. Patches covered his ears and whimpered,it was to loud he had to get out. He was panicking,he tugs on his belt wanting it off. A hand suddenly stops him,looking over he finds it was Aeryn who had stopped him.
"T-to l-loud."Patches whines about to have a full on panic attack.
Grigore, who is seated adjacent to his mate, quickly picks up what was going on. "Oh, no..." he murmurs, squeezing Aleeria's hand. "He ees going to have a...behavior." That was the colloquial word for the sudden spurts of hysterical panic that usually included an attempt to escape. The plane begins to move, and Patches rocks back and forth in his seat, his hips straining against the lap belt.
Aleeria squeezes his hand back her eyes on Patches as she murmers."We have to do something."
Aeryn looks at the too of them."What is going on? Why is he freaking out?"She asks in whisper. She didn't know what was going on or why the boy was on the verge of panicking.
Patches let out a panicked whine and lifts away from the seat only the belt was blocking him. Quick as lightning Grigore uses his power on Patches,he stares right at him and moves his hand just a tiny bit causing Patches to become still as he is immobilized by Grigore's power. "It vill not keep him long."
Aeryn takes off her belt and stands,"Keep him still as long as you can."Leaning over she looks at Patches."Now you listen to me and listen good. Everything is okay I know it is loud, it's just the plane taking off the sound will stop as soon as we are in the air. So I need you to do something for me."
Patches begans to move a bit as Grigore's power stopped working on him."W-what?"He questions shakingly looking at Aeryn.
Aeryn reaches into her bag and pulls out an etch-a-sketch."This is an etch-a-sketch."She turns it to him so he can see the knobs."You make pictures or anything really by using the to knobs."Turning one of the knobs she shows him how it works."Here you try."She hands it over to him.
As the plane takes off Patches begans playing with the etch-a-sketch,slowly he starts to calm down. Aeryn sits back in her seat unsure of what just happened or why he freaked out like that.
Seeing that Patches was calming down both Grigore and Aleeria relax.
(Meanwhile with Remus and Sirius.)
Remus Lupin and Sirius Black stood waiting in the London airport both men dressed in muggle clothes. Remus work light blue jeans,a white tshirt and sneakers while Sirius Black wore dark denim jeans,A black shirt and black boots.
"So what do you think they're like?"Sirius asks looking at his best friend.
"I'm not sure but from what Dumbledore says they come highly recommend."Remus replies.
"Highly recommend?"Sirius raises a brow in question. "So what you are saying is Dumbledore is adding four you know whats to the order just long enough to help us and protect Harry?"Sirius called the vampires you know whats as they were in the muggle part of London and he didn't want muggles to know what they were talking about.
"That's right though I'm not sure why he is having...vampires*Remus whispers the last word so no one over heard them."Look here they come."He points to four figures walking towards them, two boys and two girls all wearing cloaks or in the case of one of the girls a hoodie with the hood pulled up."That has to be them."Walking half way to meet them,Sirius following behind.
Grigore stops infront of the two men waiting for the question.
"What candy is long and red and starts with a T?"Remus questions.
"It es called a twizzler."Grigore replies with confidence.
"That is right. I'm Remus Lupin."Remus extends his hand towards Grigore who shook it.
"I am Grigore Von Krolock."Grigore greets as he shakes hands with Remus letting go he looks back a his three companions."Und zhese are my companions. My mate Aleeria Volturi."He gestures to the girl with fur around the hood of her cloak.
"Hello."Aleeria greets politely.
"It is nice to meet you Aleeria."Remus smiles kindly at her as the other girl steps forward this one wearing the hoodie.
"Howdy I'm Aeryn Whitlock."She greets with a wave.
The second male hid behind the girl named Aleeria peeking out just a bit to see them.
Patches wanted to make a good first impression with these strangers, but he felt uneasy with Aro's decision to send him away with total strangers who were not vampires. One smelled lightly of alcohol, and the other smelled of chocolate and dog...no, wolf. The fact that both men had facial hair didn't help either. He associated hairy men with short tempers and brutish violence.
Sensing her adoptive brother behind her she turns and smiles softly." It is okay Patches. I'm right here go on and introduce yourself." She coaxes him gently as he latches onto her and clings as if seeking protection."
"My n-name is P-Patches. "Patches whispers from his place in Aleeria's arms,he felt protected by his adoptive sister being near while in a new place around new people,he looks over seeing that Grigore stood by Aleeria with Aeryn standing just slightly behind him and he feels safer knowing they all said they would keep him safe.
Remus smiles instently taking a liking to the boy and feeling a sense of protection towards him almost like a father would a son or an elder brother would a younger brother."It's nice to meet you Patches. My friend here is..."He didn't get to finish his sentence as the other man stepped forward and smiled.
"Sirius Black."Sirius says interrupting Remus introducing himself to the four vampires,his eyes instantly finding Aeryn his eyes roam over her checking her out.
"Do you always stare Darlin?"Aeryn asks turning her head to look at him her Texan accent coming out thickly as she said the word "Darlin"
"Only when they are beautiful and you are quite the beauty."Sirius flirts giving a charming smirk before a hand came up and slapped him on the back of the head."Ow that hurt." He looks over to glare at his so-called best friend as he rubs the back of his head. "What was that for Mooney?"
Remus just stares back as his friend glares at him. "Have a little respect for the undead. She's not a piece of meat."
Sirius pouts still rubbing his head.
(At Grimmwauld Place.)
Remus and Sirius walk into number 12 Grimmwauld Place followed by Grigore,Aleeria,Patches and Aeryn all still with they're hoods still up. The six of them walk into the kitchen where a bunch of people sat a few with red hair, a man with black hair and a scowl, a lady with purple hair, a man whose one eye which was mechanical and held by a strap was moving rapidly and an old man with long white hair and a long white beard.
"I see everything went alright." The white haired man spoke from his place at the head of the table.
Remus and Sirius sit down at the table while the other four stay standing. "Everything went well." Remus speaks up and sits beside the purple haired lady.
"Welcome I am Professor Albus Dumbledore. I'm glad you four could make it on such short notice." Dumbledore introduces himself.
"It es our pleasure." The older male vampire spoke up. "I am Grigore Von Krolock and zhese are my companions my mate Aleeria Volturi, her adoptive brother Patches and Aeryn Whitlock." He points to each one as he says their name.
"It is nice to meet you all." A plump motherly lady with res hair greeted walking over to the four a smile on her face. "I am Molly Weasley." She Points to an older gentlemen with balding red hair. "My husband Arthur and these are our children Bill, Charlie, Fred or George and the one beside him is the one that one isn't, Ron and Ginny." She points to each of her family members all that was missing was Percy.
"Honestly Woman you're our mother and you can't even tell which off us is which." The two identical red haired men said in unison, smirking they looked at the four new people.
"I'm Gred."One of them said.
"And I'm Forge." The other twin said.
"Don't listen to my boyfriend and his twin." A seventeen year old girl with curly honey brown hair speaks up. "This is George." She points to the one who had introduced himself as Forge. "And this is my boyfriend Fred." She points to the one who had called himself Gred, he had a small pout on his face which the girl ignored. "I'm Hermione Granger."
A snicker was heard from beside the girl, a young boy with messy black hair, Emerald green eyes that shinned behind a pair or wire rimmed glasses he had a lightening blot shaped scar on his forehead. He waves from his spot at the table. "I'm Harry Potter."
The man with the mechanical eye clears his throat causing the four vampires to look over at him. "I'm Alastair Moody and I'll be keeping an eye on you."
"What do you mean keep an eye on us?!" Aleeria exclaims not liking the thought of being watched.
Grigore gives her hand a warning squeeze, just tight enough to convey the message. It would not do for anyone to act on the offensive in what was assumed to be a peaceful place. "Yes," he speaks up in agreement, hoping Aleeria would keep a cool head if he showed support. "I have zhe responsibility of making sure my group does vhat zhey must do." He gives a modest bow of his head toward the socketed-eyed man. "I assure you zhat additional supervision ees unnecessary."
Aleeria looks over at him giving a slight nod to show she understood and would be on her best behavior.
Moody chuckles gruffly. "Alright then." He liked this vampire named Grigore he seemed to have a strong mindset.
"I am "Professor" Severus Snape." The man who had a scowl on his face said from where he stood against the wall, he put an emphasis on the word professor.
"Aww come on Severus Smile a bit, if you keep scowling like that your face will get stuck that way." The purple haired lady joked smiling at the four vampires. "Wotcher I'm Nymohadora Tonks but call me Tonks never Nymphadora."
Snape just scowls at the comment made by one of his former students.
"Alright it's late come on my lot head to bed, you too Harry and Hermione."
"Aww but…"All the teens said at once.
"Bed I said." Mrs. Weasley says giving her famous glare which causes the teens to bid everyone a goodnight and run to their respective rooms.
Aeryn looked around for a seat before finding one which just so happened to be beside Sirius. He looks over and smirks. "Can't seem to keep away from me can you."
"You shouldn't flirt with ladies old enough to be your great-great-great grandmother darlin."Aeryn retorts with a smirk upon her face as Aleeria, Patches and Grigore all take seats beside each other.
Sirius's eyes go wide. "You aren't old. You can't be no more then eighteen if that."
Aeryn just laughs. "Vampire remember, we stop aging physically at the age we were turned and let's see I was 18 when I was turned in tthe1800s. Therefore making me older."
Sirius sat there a shocked expression on his face, his mouth hanging open which caused everyone even Snape to laugh.
"So how old are the rest of you?" Tonks inquires looking over at the other three.
"I am what is known as an ancient by vampire standards. I'm roughly over a thousand years old. Now my father well he's super ancient." Aleeria replies to the question.
"I am roughly 300 years old." Grigore spoke up giving his age.
Patches sat close to Aleeria and Grigore not saying anything just looking around as if frightened of the new people seeing everyone looking at him he ducks behind Aleeria hiding.
Grigore frowns at the youngest vampire's avoidance, but he couldn't hold it against him since he knew Patches would rather be at home. It wasn't like he begged to come. But in time, Grigore hopes, the boy would be more responsive while they were here. "Patches here he es zhe youngest of us at only 37."Grigore speaks up.
Snape stares at the auburn-headed boy across the table with evident disapproval. He had a low tolerance for cowards, and an even lower tolerance for immaturity. "I trust that the vampire called Aro understood that the paramount concern is the Order's protection," he states testily, flicking his eyes over the other immortals. "I should think we..." he glances at Lupin and Sirius and even Harry. "...have learned from past experiences with...cowards." He laces the final word with hate. The innuendo of the rat, Pettigrew, rang clearly in every wizard's memory.
Grigore looks to Aleeria and gives a slight nod of his head as if giving her the go ahead, she smirks and in a flash is over to Snape and has him pinned to the wall by his chest with one hand.
"You will do well to never call my brother a coward again!" Aleeria says with a low hiss. "You know nothing of his past so you have no right to call him a coward! He has been through things you could never imagine things that would make you piss your pants." She leans in and whispers. "You are lucky I'm on strict orders not to drain anyone."
Snape widens his eyes in alarm, his hand instinctively drawing out his wand. He would not be bullied by anyone, especially not by an emotional female monster. He curls his lip in a smug grin, now that he was liable to report an attack to the Department for the Control and Regulation of Supernatural Creatures, a subsection of the Magical, and much less tolerant of aggressive behavior. He mutters a few syllables under his breath and Aleeria flies off his chest as his incantation flings her backwards against the other side of the room. Patches winces as Aleeria's body made impact and whimpers. He attaches himself to Grigore's arm as the next available tactile means of safety.
Aleeria stands up shaking herself off she hisses deep in her throat glaring at Snape,she crouches down ready to attack only to notice that every witch and wizard were all standing wands drawn pointing at her.
Dumbledore stands and raises his arms in a peaceful gesture motioning for everyone to put away their wands. "Let us all calm down there is no threat. The girl was merely protecting her brother." He looks at Severus. "Do apologize Severus."
"I apologize Miss. Aleeria." Snape says a bit begrudgingly. " Consider the counter-attack a warning that violence is not tolerated within the order."
Aleeria gives a nod saying she understood and forgave him, straightening up she walks back over to her seat but instead of sitting down on her seat she sits on Grigore's lap leaning on him. Seeing that everything was now calm the order all put away their wands and take their seats once more. Aleeria looks to Patches to make sure he was alright, she reaches over and touches his cheek in a gesture that says she would protect him.
"And they say I've got a temper. "Aeryn quips laughing just a bit as she looks at Aleeria. "But dang. Who knew Aro's daughter was so fiesty." She looks at Grigore. "And you're so calm and serious…"
"No I'm Sirius. "Sirius interrupts with a chuckle at his joke.
Remus sighs shaking his head. "Your puns get sadder and sadder every year."
Grigore had been silent in his chair watching the scene play out. He didn't expect Aleeria to physically assault the scowling man. "You should not have done zhat," he murmurs in her ear as she positioned herself on his lap. "Zhere are better vays to prove a point. Just vatch und take notes." He gently scoops her up and places her back in her chair before addressing the other man in the room who wore all-black attire.
"You are correct," he speaks loudly for all to hear. "Patches ees no fighter. Eef zhat makes him a coward, zhen I cannot disagree." Without warning, he suddenly rises from his chair and turns to his young friend. "Patches, stand up." The little vampire boy once again feels pressure from the room of eyes staring at him, but he is more concerned with gaining approval from his coven members. He rises to his feet and stands behind his chair. He stares up at Grigore and tries to decipher what he had in mind. "Turn around," the German vampire ordered, and Patches did so. The others were not able to understand what an accomplishment it was for him to show someone the most tender and vulnerable part of his body. "Fall backvards." Patches finally catches on to what Grigore was getting at and rocks himself off his heels to fall into Grigore's strong, welcoming arms. The son of a Count stands him back up and gives him two rewarding pats on his arm. He gestures for Patches to sit back down.
"You see, ladies und gentlemen," he announces to wizards and vampires alike. "Although not a physical fighter, Patches offers his trust, obedience, und a loyalty you can depend on. I tell you: zhis young man ees zhe hardest vorking Guard een zhe coven. Know him better; I promise you zhat he vill prove to be an asset to zhe Order." He lets his final statement rest in the air and resumes his seat.
"Loyalty and trust are things you want when fighting in a war." Moody speaks in his gruff voice. "A person who is loyal and trusts will do anything to keep the people they trust safe and as we have all seen from the way Aleeria acted she is loyal to the boy and just because you fight it doesn't make you brave." He looks towards Patches and nods as if saying that he accepted him as he is.
Aeryn stands from her seat. "If I may?" she looks at Grigore as he was the leader on this mission.
Grigore could only guess what she had in mind, but he does not see any indication that she will persist to argue in a belligerent manner. He nods curtly, indicating that the floor was hers.
Aeryn looks at the order. "My brother once said a leader is only as good as his soldiers and from what I have seen Patches happens to be a great soldier, not because he can fight but because he cares about those he is loyal to. How many of you can say you have people like that in your life." She looks around at each and every one if them. "Do not judge a book by it's cover." As she says this she looks directly at Snape.
Snape, however, was more interested in Patches than in Aeryn. He saw that the boy had some metal collar about his neck with his name scratched into it like a tag. The scars on his face did not go unnoticed either. "I may have misjudged you," Snape began. "But time will tell how much of your friends' noble words prove true. For your sake and ours, I hope I am pleasantly surprised."
Aeryn takes her seat once more. Aleeria smiles looking every bit her father's daughter. "Oh I hope you are to." Turning she smiles sweetly at Patches. "Would you like to go rest?"
Patches blinks at Aleeria and nods tiredly. He was exhausted from the excitement of the flight and the old house he found himself in now. He didn't know what sort of living arrangements had been made for him. Would he have his own room? Or would he be assigned a few cushions of an old sofa? Either way, he felt drained enough to rest anywhere he was allowed.
Aleeria looks at the order. "Exactly where will we be staying?"
"Oh dear me I forgot to show you your rooms. I can take Patches to his room." Molly says smiling motherly at the young male.
Patches blinks at Mrs. Weasley and decides that she has a kind face. He turns his head to Grigore for instruction, who nods with an encouraging smile. The little vampire stands up once more and walks toward the ginger-haired lady, keeping a respectful distance between them. Now that he saw what those little pieces of wood could do in the hands of these people, he didn't want to find himself at the blasting end of a wand.
Molly smiles and the young boy and turns walking out of the room gesturing him to follow her as she lead him up the staircase. "I hope you'll like your room." She goes to the third floor and walks straight down the hallway, the walls were bare and held no family pictures on the walls just dark paintings that no-one could remove from the walls. She continues walking until finally stopping at a door and opening it up. The room was medium sized with a small fireplace that was not lit, a full cherry wood canopy bed sat in the middle on the room, an over sized brown chair sat on the one side of the room and a desk sat off to the side. "Here you are."
Patches cringes at the dreary and rather hideous paintings, wondering how a motherly lady could feel at ease among such unsettling decor. He wills himself to ignore his surroundings until they reach their destination. He peers into the strange room the woman offered him and feels his anxiety start to climb. He strains a thankful smile all the same so as not to be rude. With small steps, he inches into what he perceived as a cave of dust and decay. The furniture looked sturdy despite being slightly warped where worn down, but every square inch occupied a thin layer of dust. This would be no cause for alarm for the common human eye, but Patches' enhanced vampire vision rendered the smallest details annoyingly visible. He wished for his mops, buckets, and rags so he could make the room a more bearable sight. One thing was certain: he would not be able to rest until the majority of dust was gone. He turns around toward the hallway and embarks his search for a utility closet.
Molly blinks watching the young male wondering what he was up to. "Excuse me." She calls out following him. "What are you looking for?"
The vampire stops in the hall and finds his voice. "Cleaning things...f-for dust?"
"Oh well there downstairs in lines closet. I can go get them if you like." Molly starts to turn around to walk downstairs.
"Okay," Patches says, in favor of Molly bringing him the supplies instead of searching for them himself. "Thank you."
"Welcome dear." With that said she heads downstairs to get the cleaning supplies.
Once the lady left, he finds himself alone in the hallway. A sudden curiosity comes to mind to become more familiar with his surroundings. His eye catches another bedroom nearby with the door slightly ajar. He smells the air and does not detect anyone inside the room. He grins as he pushes his way into the room and spots one of the magic wood sticks sitting on a round end table beside the bed. He takes it into his hands and lightly brushes the vine-and-leaves design carved on the handle. "Where does the magic come from?" he murmurs to himself.
Hermione walks up the third floor and down the hall to the very room she forgot her wand in, stepping into the room she sees the young vampire. "Oh I'm sorry I didn't realize anyone was in here. I was just looking for my wand." Seeing said wand in his hand she smiles. "There it is."
Patches draws in a quick breath of air and ducks his head when a girl roughly his human age caught him. He was afraid that he would be scolded for snooping, but her voice was unexpectedly calm and civil. He turns the wand in his hands once more before holding the weapon of untold destruction out to her at a horizontal angle. He stares at his boots, trying his best to not look like a threat.
Hermione smiles and takes her wand from him slipping it into the pocket of her robe. "Thank you for finding it. I completely forgot I left it in here, what with the excitement of new people coming into the order from a foreign country." She looks at him. "You're Patches right?"
He closes his eyes and nods, briefly pointing to his neck where she must have seen his name. He would have apologized and walked out of the room, but her body was blocking the doorway. "N-Not people," he corrects her gently with a sad smile. "Not...human." Surely she was informed of what he was, but he would not be responsible for telling her if she didn't already know.
"Yes you guys are vampires but your still people. No matter your species."Hermione tells him with a smile. "Besides there are a lot of supernatural creatures here well not here in the house except Buckbeak"
Patches' eyes grow wide in terror as the girl in front of him informs him of the company in the house. "C-Creatures? Lots?!" He begins to whine restlessly and tread across the floor. He immediately wishes to be with his friends since he had no means of defending himself against an unfriendly encounter. He was fine with most vampires, but it took him a long time to grow accustomed to them.
"Yes but not in the house well unless you count Padfoot but that's just Sirius in Animangus form, he's like an over grown puppy and Buckbeak is in the attic. I just meant that the wizarding world has a lot of creatures like unicorns and such."Hermione explains hoping she didn't scare him. "Should I go get one of your friends?"
Patches clamps his hands above his ears to hold his head which began to hurt. "P-Pad...foot? A-Ani...Anim-magus?...Unicorns!" He was overwhelmed with these newfangled words; it was like living in a new world where everyone spoke a foreign language that he couldn't understand. And this was the tip of the iceberg, as Hermione made it out to be. Patches wanted to think and breathe, but there was no fresh air and no clean space to rest. He paces faster and faster and he felt like the walls were closing in on him. "Why, Master?" he whimpers in a choked sob. "Wh-What did I do?" He thought this had to be Aro's idea of a punishment, sending him away to a strange place filled with strange people to warp his reality far past his comfort zone.
Hermione's eyes widened. She didn't know what she had done to make him act like this but she knew she had to get him one of his friends. "I'll be right back." Turning she walks out then runs downstairs and into the kitchen. "Patches is upset. I didn't mean to but he..he oh just someone please help."
Grigore immediately rises from his chair in alarm. "Upset?" Then touches Aleeria's shoulder. "Ve should see to him." He figured that it would only be a matter of time until the young vampire had another "behavior," but he didn't expect it to be so soon. The good news was that he was never a danger to himself or others in his episodes. The bad news was that his episodes varied greatly in severity. The tall vampire tracks the sounds of distress to a bedroom on the third floor where he finds his young friend crying shakily into a corner of the wall, his hands trying to push the walls in from his chest.
Aleeria stands quickly and follows him out of the room hot on his heels as he made his way to a bedroom on the third floor. Silently she walks over and sits beside Patches, gently she touches his arm. "Hey" she looks up at Grigore worry evident in her eyes.
Patches flinches at her touch with a frightened squeal. He did not hear them come in. He closes his eyes and resumes sobbing. Grigore could tell something pushed him to the far corners of his mind where hopelessness stabbed at his spirit. He considers using his power again, but he decides against it, opting to value his fellow vampire's autonomy. "Eet ees kind of gross in here," he observes, noticing all of the dust.
Aleeria stands giving Patches some space as she walks over to Grigore. "Yes it is very dusty." She picks up on his train of thought hoping whatever he had in mind would work on the young male they both cared about so much.
"I zhink..." Grigore muses aloud. "I vould like to take a valk around town." Patches does not appear to hear him. In fact, he leans into the wall with more force, desperate to escape. Grigore worried that he'd break the wall right open at this rate. "O plimbare?" he asks again, a little louder. Patches opens his eyes and slowly turns his head to his temporary superior.
"în afară?" comes the meek response. Grigore nods and slowly approaches the smaller boy. He takes him by the hands and leads him away from the wall. This was progress.
Aleeria watches the two of them her mind going a mile a minute as thoughts swarmed through her mind. There had to be ways to help him cope with his attacks or at least help him become calm when one started. She begins to pace back and forth as she sorts through her thoughts. "Maybe just maybe it would work." She mutters softly to herself.
Grigore looks over at Aleeria his brow raised. "Vhat vhould vork?" he didn't know what she was muttering about but it had to be something or she wouldn't have said anything even if she had muttered it.
"Oh well I had a thought or two." Aleeria shrugs. "I may have come up with something."
Grigore sighs and continues to lead Patches out of the room and down the stairs to the ground floor. If she had something to say, she would just say it. Patches looks up in admiration of the man in front of him. Grigore was the only one who knew Romanian and could communicate with him through his flashbacks like no one else could.
Aleeria follows them. "What about muscle relaxation techniques or grounding techniques. Breathing techniques may work but since we don't breath maybe those would help in some way."
"I do not know vhat any of those zhings are," he replies in a calm monotone. They reach the ground floor and Grigore catches Sirius' attention since he appeared to own the house. "Are ve permitted to leave?"
Sirius nods. "Yea but you'll need this to find the house again." Standing he reaches into his pocket pulling out a piece of parchment paper walking over he hands it to Grigore. "This will show the location of the house it is not visible to humans."
"Relaxing ones muscles or describing something next to the person." Aleeria says.
Grigore takes the piece of parchment and opens it up. He sees the marked location of the house in retrospect to the rest of the neighborhood. "Thank you." He pockets the map and another important question comes to mind. "Vhat ees zhe meal plan for my kind?" He had to know if they were to feed themselves or if the Order made special arrangements.
"A member of the order named Kingsley Shacklebolt will be stopping by in an hour with a supply of blood from the ministry." Dumbledore spoke from where he stood at the table.
Aleeria kisses Grigore's cheek then blows Patches a goodbye kiss. "Be safe and have fun." Turning she sashays into the dining room/kitchen.
Grigore nods at the new information. "You are not coming?" he calls as Aleeria leaves. "Vould you care to join us, Aeryn?" he asks the other female vampire. He hoped she would. He wanted to know her better for strategic purposes.
Aleeria smiles. "No love I'm going to stay here and learn some more about the mission. See what I can gather. Also I'm going to unpack and get us settled."
"An adventure well sure I'll come along." Aeryn stands making her way over to them. "Where we going?"
Grigore smiles. "Alright. Fill me in on vhat I miss." Still holding Patches by the hand, he starts walking toward the front door. "Ve are going just around zhe neighborhood...maybe one block." He opens the door and brings the young vampire outside in the evening air. "Don't vorry, leetle boy. I know vhat you vant." He unzips a small pocket on his jacket and pulls out a long silver chain with a clasp on either end. Patches recognizes the object and readily tilts his head back, exposing his neck.
"What no goodbye kiss?" Aleeria smirks and teases with a wave watching them leave. "I'll tell you everything I learn. I'll keep nothing from you."
Aeryn raises a brow as he pulls out a leash, shrugging she follows them out of the house.
The rest of the order watch the three leave.
"I vill kiss you vhen I return," he promises her as he snaps the chain around the collar on the boy's neck. Some of his habits were impossible to kill, and walking in public could only be done when he was attached somehow to someone else. "Let's go." With that, he walks out of the driveway and turns right on the sidewalk. Patches trails behind him, already feeling better leaving the house full of dust. He wondered what became of the woman who had gone to get him cleaning supplies.
"Do you have a gift, Aeryn?" Grigore asks. "Or any special skills I should know about?"
Aleeria smiles and sits down to gather information.
Aeryn walks behind Patches and Grigore. "Yes I can control fire could since well for a very long time. And special skills I wouldn't call them special."
"Zhat might be useful somehow." Unless she could shoot fire from her body and immediately burn someone to death, he didn't see any obvious combative strength in that power. Next, he wanted to know how she handled dilemmas. "Imagine you are een a burning building und you can only save one of us in zhe Order as you are running out. Who do you pick?"
"You don't really understand how my power works do you?"Aeryn questions. "Why would I save just one person?" she blinks in confusion at the question. "Why wouldn't I try saving you all?"
"I have no idea beyond vhat you have just told me," he replies. "Eef you try to save all een zhis hypothetical situation, no one vill survive. Zhe building vill crumble." Patches looks behind him and waits to hear her answer.
"I think I had best show you how my power works to best answer your question. If that would be permitted by you and Patches." Aeryn replies knowing that might be the best way. "Away from prying eyes." She gestures to the houses where humans slept or simply where."
Grigore looks around and sees no unwanted spectators. He gives her an encouraging hand gesture and Patches smiles with anticipation.
Aeryn moves to stand beside Patches, she looks at a spot in the road and concentrates calling on her power a spark of flame starts,smiling just a bit she twirls her pointer finger on her left hand causing the fire to starts spinning growing larger and raising, it begins to take shape and soon becomes a young girl dancing. Aeryn controls the fires movements completely.
Grigore stares at the display and grins at the entertainment value. She was indeed a novelty. "Very cute," he comments at the flame dancer spectacle.
Aeryn chuckles and holds out her hand, slowly she makes a fist snuffing the fire out. "To answer your question. I would control the fire until everyone was safely out. But there is one problem."
Grigore blinks to see the fire diappear as quickly as it came. "Vhat problem vould zhat be?"
"My fire is connected to my emotions if I'm angry it'll lash out. So if I'm calm the fire is calm and won't harm anyone. I could also draw the fire into me but it's dangerous." Aeryn speaks. "If I try drawing a huge fire into me like a forest fire it could very well take over me. I would do so in extreme circumstances."
Grigore pauses to think about this and comes up with another scenario. "A vizard of zhe evil sort kidnaps Aleeria, myself, und Patches." Patches reacts with a noise of objection. "Hypothetically," he stresses, "You could trade places vith one of us, so you accept because zhat ees how you gain zhe location of zhe evil vizard. You cannot contact zhe Order. Who do you trade places vith?"
Aeryn tilts her head. " Well logically speaking darlin I would trade places with Patches. You and Aleeria would be fine. Patches on the other hand well… "she smiles apologetically at Patches. "Would possibly have a bad relapse of what ever happened in his past."
Grigore shakes his head. "A good thought, but Patches vill not vant to leave all by himself." The younger boy nods in agreement with a bashful shrug. "I am your best bet. Vhen I am free to leave, I use my power to stun everybody around me, free you all, und zhen ve all get to leave togezher." Patches smiles, liking that conclusion better. He would feel terrible in leaving his comrades behind.
"I-I would be okay," the little vampire speaks up with assurance. "I am used to being held prisoner. I survive."
"Yes but let's say hypothetically somehow the death whatsits find away to block your power. What then?" Aeryn asks looking at him. "Or they threaten Aleeria or Patches what do you?" She looks to Patches. "I know you would but even the strongest vampire would not like being locked away. I wouldn't."
"Zhen you choose Aleeria because she vill find an inventive vay to rescue us. Patches cannot be alone, und I must do vhat I can to protect you two from harm. Besides, Patches und I can hold our hunger zhe longest." Patches also finds this explanation sound. He felt glad that Aro made him the leader of the group. "I wouldn't l-like it," the young boy grimaced, his cheek muscles straining against his stitch-laced scar that ran from the left corner of his lips halfway up his face toward his ear. "But my sacrifice will help the group."
Aeryn nods. "What if she gets caught?" she wanted to make sure he thought up all possible situations that could happen. Yes it would but always have a back up plan."
"You are zhe one who ees coming," Grigore reminds her. "Are you going to bring anyzhing helpful?"
"I'm sure I could think of something." Aeryn replies. "Depending on how much time I had. How good do you think Aleeria is at getting information."
Grigore shrugs. To be fair to the question, he had never seen Aleeria in any such situation. "She ees her father's daughter," he reasons. "She vill stop at nothing to achieve her mission...especially eef lives are involved."
Aeryn nods. "Even if she had to act like she was betraying people? Because hypothetically it may have to happen in order to learn what that He who must not be named's secret weapon is."
"Of course. Even zhen." Grigore was resolute in his answer. "She has a very strong sense of loyalty." Now that Aeryn mentioned it, he pondered the idea of someone infiltrating the ranks of the enemy to collect information. "Eef zhe situation demanded eet...do you zhink you vould be a good slave, or servant?" He didn't know much about the evil wizards, but he assumed that they had a chain of command that included slavish underlings. He had his doubts that Aleeria could hold the act for very long. She was too proud, and her pride would trip her patience.
"I could be anything needed for the mission." Aeryn says with a look of determination in her eyes, whatever the mission called for she would do it.
Grigore nods his approval. He stops at an intersection and estimate they walked half a mile at least. "Ve should turn back now." He extends his end of the chain leash to Aeryn. "Vould you like to hold onto him?" he offers with a trusting smile. It was his way of welcoming her as an honorary member of the Volturi team.
"If that is alright with you." Aeryn inquires looking at Patches.
Patches glances between Grigore and Aeryn before nodding his consent. If the man who had been like an older brother to him approved, then he would trust his intuition. Aeryn didn't come off as the type of person that would hold his flaws against him. It was just a walk, after all.
Aeryn takes the leash in her hand and smiles softly. "Your past wasn't kind was it?" She looks at Patches not with disgust or pity but with understanding.
The smile runs away from Patches' face and he drops his head as low as it could go, shaking it slowly from side to side. "I-I was meant to die, wh-when Master rescued me." Older teenagers didn't last long in the child trafficking ring that enslaved him for five long years. The torture he endured shattered his chances of mental recovery forever.
Aeryn looks at him. "This is the first time I've ever said this but Aro did the right thing in rescuing you. People say he is a cruel man but I don't think he is. I don't like rules but I understand why they are there. Aro is a good man just most people can't see that." She gives a gentle smile sensing that he would not like to be touched. "Look at me please."
Patches feels a new swelling of respect for her in his heart and raises his eyes to meet hers. From a vampire associated with the Cullens, her opinion on Aro was to be considered high praise.
" My brother's coven may not like Aro but I never had a problem with him now Caius on the other hand." Aeryn makes a face at Caius's name it was no secret she thought him pompous and uptight.
Patches shrugs, having no comment on this. He wasn't too fond of Caius either, but he understood that everyone in the Volturi had an important role. Caius was a good strategist, even though his ideas were more sadistic than necessary.
"Are you ready to head back? Aeryn inquires.
Patches only nods his head. Turning back towards the house the three walk back to the spot where it was hidden. Grigore takes out the paper and the three look at it. Grimmwauld place appears before them and they all walk into the house. Aeryn handed Grigore Patches leash and he removed it putting it in his pocket. The only ones up were Sirius and Remus who both looked up from their game of chess.
"Everything alright?" Sirius questions in concern.
"Everything es fine. Vhere es everyone else?" Grigore asks looking around.
"They all went to bed. Sirius and I are waiting for Kingsley to arrive with the blood supply." Remus answered before looking over at Patches. "Molly said to tell you she left some cleaning supplies in your room."
Patches nods and looks to Grigore,who chuckles smoothly. "Vell goodnight gentlemen, Aeryn. Come along Patches I'll take you to your room." With that said both man and boy walked up stairs leaving only Aeryn,Sirius and Remus.
(In Grigore and Aleeria's room.)
After making sure Patches was safely in his room content with the cleaning supplies Molly had left for him, Grigore sniffs the air catching his mates scent and following it to a room opening the door he looks around see that the room held two big comfy chairs in dark green sitting in front of a fireplace, on the other side other room was a large oak desk and in the center stood a dark cherry wood king sized bed a lump the shape of a person lay under the covers.
Smiling slightly he walks over as silent as can be and slips under the covers wrapping his arms around the figure. "Did you learn anything?" he whispers into her ear before moving to nuzzle her neck smirking when she giggles.
"I learned a lot. Did you have a good walk?" Aleeria turns to him tilting her head slightly to look at him.
"Mmm, very good," Grigore replies, kissing her lightly on the lips. "Zhere eet ees, as promised." He moves himself to lie down beside her on the unoccupied part of the bed. "I hear zhe blood vill be here soon. Vhat did you find out?"
"You call that a kiss." Aleeria teases a smirk playing on her lips before she turns serious. "Well as I'm sure we all suspected Remus is a werewolf, Sirius is an Animangus though I had thought him a shifter he turns into a dog. I also found out that the young boy we met today I believe is name is Harry or as some call him the boy who lived who's the one we are to protect can fight with a wand but not hand to hand or anything else. There is another thing.
"Two dogs und some young savior against zhe forces of vizard evil..." he summarizes, accepting the strange news. He recalls the black-haired boy: scrawny build, and poor eyesight that was evident by his circular spectacles. "I can guess he ees good vith his...wand?" He deduces that was the proper name for the magic stick. He waits for her to reveal the rest.
"They think man named Greyback will know about them using werewolves and what they are being used for Remus thinks it is different then what the wolves did in the last war. Only thing is either me or Aeryn since they have never seen us will have to manipulate him basically seduce him." Aleeria says gauging his reaction as she speaks the next words. " I volunteered."
"But zhe wolves und vampires have been enemies for centuries," he points out. "How can you be certain zhis "Greyback" vill take you as bait instead of killing you?" If he was an old werewolf, he'd be the type to kill first and ask questions later.
Aleeria leans in close to him. "I had thought of that in fact and as I have dealt with werewolves before I will just appeal to his better judgement." Half jokingly she wiggles her eyebrows. "It'll give me an excuse to wear that leather corset and mini skirt." She was serious about the wolf thing but trying to get a reaction from her always calm mate.
He imagines her in the outfit she described, offering herself as meat to feed the lust of a deranged hairy dog-man. "I do not zhink your father vould approve," he comments nonchalantly. "During zhe valk, Aeryn told me zhat she vould do anyzhing zhe mission requires. I vould rather have her be zhe bait. She may have more experience zhan you." He knew the Cullens were very familiar with shifters, and possibly a few werewolves as well. He could not imagine Aro being very pleased with him if he allowed Aleeria to do this, even if it was for the good of the Order's mission.
"You can't protect me forever you know?" Aleeria questions looking up at him her eyes becoming soft. "Aeryn has a temper from what I've heard how do we know she can keep calm long enough to get information?"
He shrugs. "Trust her? Zhere ees no other vay." Trust could not be built unless given the opportunities to test it. "Eef things go wrong, she can set everyzhing on fire und run." He grins at the mental image of Aeryn using her power on a terrifyingly large scale that not even wizards could put it out in time. "Aro expects her to be used for somezhing." He couldn't imagine Aro putting her on the team only to stand on the sidelines. "Yes, she vill go." He had his mind made up.
Aleeria crosses her arms and pouts. "I hate it when you are right. And since when did you get all authoritative?" She smirks an winks at him. "It's very adorable." Reaching up she ruffles his hair. "Alright Aeryn will go but I get to wear my outfit." Crosses her arms mind made up.
"I am authoritative because I have to be," he says with a grin that quickly disappears when she messes with his hair. "Please don't do zhat." He brings his long fingers to his head to comb out the bunched strands she created. "Ja, wear your outfit eef you vant." He had no objections to it, just as long as she wore it for herself or for him, but nobody else. Presently, there was a knock on the door.
"Hmm wasn't asking love and alright I won't do it again." Aleeria looks at the door eyebrows raised wondering just why someone was knocking on their door. "Who is it?" she calls out softly waiting for an answer. She wanted alone time with her mate if was anyone but Patches she would give them a hard time.
Grigore stands up off the bed and answers the door, thinking it was their blood meals. "Hello," Patches says from the hallway.
"Have you finished vith your room already?" Grigore asks, checking on the boy's room to see for himself. In just a little under an hour, Patches had transformed his bedroom into a roomy, breathable space with hardly any dust to be found. The German whistles, clearly impressed. "Wow...Very well done."
Patches smiles at his accomplishment. "Can I do your room now?"
Grigore returns to Aleeria and beckons Patches to come in. "Ve vould be honored." It would give him something more to do until the blood arrived.
Aleeria stands and grabs a robe from a chair slipping it on. "Will we be in your way?" She questions walking over to them. "If we are just say and I'll drag Mr. Alpha here away." She jokes being in a rather great mood before she groans. "Crap I forgot something."
Patches shakes his head. "No. I-I can work around you." Part of the reason he came by was so he could have company. He was already feeling homesick. He had never been out of the castle this long before.
"Vhat did you forget?" the one dubbed "Mister Alpha" inquires.
Aleeria smiles and sits on the bed. "I forgot to let my father know that we made it safely without problems or getting attacked is all."
Grigore grins. "I zhink zhat Dumbledore person passed zhe message. After all, he contacted Aro een zhe first place." Patches brings his cleaning stuff from his room into theirs and starts scrubbing off the layers of dust from the base boards. The vampires were lucky to have him; they were not accustomed to subpar living spaces.
"I suppose you are right. "Aleeria tilts her head to the side listening, she frowns slighty. "I think we should call a meeting soon. Poor boy." She makes sympathy sound hearing the one called Harry having a nightmare. "Hmm" she stands up. "Can they not hear him?"
Patches stiffens at the sound of someone groaning and gasping in pain. "I-Is that supposed to happen?" he asks, thinking someone ought to check on the human boy.
"I do not know," Grigore replies, walking out of the room to see what the matter was.
Aleeria looks to Patches stepping close to her brother. "How can they not hear him." She looks around listening for footsteps soon a set is heard and Aeryn walks in forgetting to knock.
"Y'all hear him too." Aeryn states knowing they did. "From the sound of it that's a horrible dream he is having."
Patches nods but persists on doing his current task. He wasn't curious about someone else's pain. Exposing him to torture was enough to trigger him.
Grigore finds the boy in his bedroom and looks around for any human members. He dared not enter the bedroom since he knew humans liked others to respect their privacy.
Aleeria gently touches Patches shoulder. "I know." she says simply.
Harry lets out a pained cry curling up and sobbing as images flashed through his mind horrible, torturous images and he was seeing it all through another's eyes.
(Harry's dream)
Harry sits in a high back chair, in a large room with dark wooden furnishings lined the walls leaving the middle of the room completely empty. He looks up sharply through snake like pupils as Fenrir Greyback walks into the room dragging a young male who looked to be in his twenties with him "Greyback how fairs our project?" he asks with a hiss to his voice, his sensitive nose picking up the smell of dried blood and musk coming from the werewolf standing before him.
"Not well though this one is lasting longer then the rest." Greyback reports. "But he won't make it."
"Then kill him and find another." Harry lets out an angered hiss. "Do whatever it takes to make it work!"
"Yes master." Greyback replies a look of excitement in his eyes as he tears into the young man viciously and without care.
A snake slithers up and winds its way up to his lap without looking he pets the snake feeling the scaly texture of the snakes body as he ran his hand over it watching the bloody scene before him.
(End dream)
Harry lets out another scream of pain and soon footsteps are heard racing towards the room, soon both Remus and Tonks show up followed by Sirius,then Fred and George, Mr and Mrs. Weasley followed by Ron and Hermione and lastly Ginny.
"He is having another nightmare." Sirius says worry clear in his voice as he watches his godson thrash around and then finally curl up in pain.
The occupants in the room watch sadly not knowing what to do for him but knowing the only two who can help him are his two best friends, they all turn to look at Hermione and Ron.
Ron and Hermione look at each other seeming to have a silent conversation they both walk over and climb into bed with their friend, Hermione curled up holding Harry with Ron holding Hermione it was something they always did when Harry had a nightmare or was in pain. As if sensing his friends he calms down falling into a calm sleep.
Grigore watches the scene before him.
"Let's leave them alone." Molly speaks ushering everyone except Grigore who stood un moving by the wall out of the room. Walking over to the three teens she covers them up with a wave of her wand before she to leaves the room.
Grigore walks into the room after a silent minute to check on the progress. Although still asleep, Harry is still in a fit of distress. "I can help," he says as he flicks his gaze from Ron to Hermione. "Vith your permission, of course." He knew he had to watch his ground around the wizard folk, at least until they knew him better.
Ron and Hermione both share a look before they both look at Grigore. "What are you going to do?" Hermione questions. "Will it hurt him?" was Ron's questions as both look at their friend worry in their eyes.
Grigore smiles softly without showing any teeth. He had no intention of scaring anyone at this time. "I vill take avay zhe nightmare," he states. "Qvick und painless." He awaits their decision, hoping that he would be granted a chance to prove his usefulness.
Ron looks at Hermione who looks back at him before both turn to Grigore and nod speaking in unison. "Please do it."
Aleeria passes the room on her way to find Remus and Sirius she wanted answers and she guessed that they knew more then they let on, she had left Patches to his cleaning telling him she would be back soon.
Grigore releases his power on the sleeping wizard from where he was standing. The fit immediately stopped and Harry went limp in his friends' arms. "I can keep him at peace." Ron and Hermione had tired eyes, and would no-doubt need sleep themselves. "You can trust him vith me. Vampires do not reqvire sleep."
The two friends nod in thanks before succumbing to sleep.
Grigore looks around the room and finds a spare corner where he could occupy for the night. He takes a spare pillow from Harry's bed and plops it into the corner before sitting on it. The dust and musty air on the room mildly annoyed him, but he would tolerate what he had to now that he had a job.
(Meanwhile with Remus and Sirius.)
Remus and Sirius sat in the living room playing chess when Aleeria walks into the room. The two men look over at her.
"Hello Aleeria." Remus greets while Sirius nods in greeting. "What brings you down to the living room so late."
Aleeria looks to them. "I believe some information was left out. And I'm guessing both or one of you can give me that information."
"What information would that be?" Sirius raises a brow.
"Like the fact that there is a Werewolf here." Aleeria looks at Remus. " And that you Mr. Black turn into a dog. And the fact that the young male upstairs suffers from nightmares."
Remus runs a hand over his face while Sirius rakes a hand through is long black locks. "If there are any questions any of you have we will answer them, when all of you are here." Remus speaks with Sirius nodding in agreement. "but as for the nightmares that is something Harry is going to have to tell you about."
"Very well. We will be talking about this in the morning." Aleeria turns and heads back up stairs.
"Looks like we have some questions to answer in the morning." Sirius says standing and stretching. "May as well get some sleep. Night Moony." with that said Sirius heads to his room on the third floor and quickly falls asleep.
"Night Padfoot." Remus heads to his own room.
(Back in Aleeria and Grigore's room.)
After talking to Remus and Sirius and not getting any answers Aleeria heads back to her room. Walking in she smiles to see that Patches was still there. "Hello Patches. I'm sorry I took so long."
Patches had finished cleaning up the room and was now moving the supplies back into the hall. "Not long at all," he shrugs as he moves past her to lean the broom against a hallway corner. "But I'm really thirsty now." He returns to her with large darkened eyes that signaled how close he was to desperation. He stares at her with anticipation, waiting for instruction. Aro had always provided for his blood needs.
Seeing his need for nourishment she smiles kindly. "Let us get you feed. Do you wish to wait here or would you like to come with me?" she knew from the way he was looking that he needed to feed and soon.
"Come with," he answers softly. He didn't want to stay in the strange rooms alone. Besides, he would have his blood sooner by tagging along.
"Come along then." Aleeria turns and walks to the door turning once more she looks to her young companion and motions for him to follow her as she walks out. "Stick close please." She knew he would but still she asked him to stay close to her, it was a new environment and honestly she didn't know these people. Also she had promised her father she would keep Patches safe.
Patches nods and walks half a step behind her. If he was any closer, she would trip over him. He licks his lips and sniffs at the air, hoping to find the slightest hint of drinkables in the building. He whimpers as he thinks of the nice wizard girl and how she would be in danger of him if he did not quench his need soon.
Aleeria quickly heads downstairs to the kitchen, walking in she sniffs the air to catch the faint yet unmistakable smell of blood, heading over to the fridge she opens it up. "Found them." She grabs a package of blood and holds it out for Patches. "Drink up."
Patches makes a grab for the bloodbath and rips off a corner with his teeth. He latched onto the tear and takes in large swallows until the bag was gone and he couldn't squeeze any more out. "Can I have another?" he asks her. One pint was not enough when he was accustomed to at least ten times that much per day.
With a nod Aleeria turns and grabs two more bags handing one to Patches while holding the other until he was done with the bag she was handing him.
Patches tears open the second bag and gulps down its contents. At last, the enlarged black irises began to brighten to a normal red. "What are we supposed to do all night?" he asks, wondering what work he'd be assigned while he was here.
"For tonight we rest tomorrow well I'm not sure we will have to ask. What would you like to do?" Aleeria inquires peering at him.
Patches shrugs his shoulders. Aro always had something else for him to do. The thought of a free night was a novelty to him. "I don't know...uhm, t-take a bath, maybe?" He wasn't sure if the house had a bathtub, but it would make his stay a bit more pleasant.
"Then let's find you a bathtub and you can take a relaxing bath and I'll unpack or just relax. I should change."Aleeria looks down at the robe she wore which covered the short nightgown she wore. "But that is neither here nor there. Come along." She heads back upstairs in search of a bathroom.
He follows close behind her. He did not like the largeness of this strange wizard house. He had an uneasy feeling that something was bound to pop up at him if he was left alone.
Aleeria sniffs the air searching for the bathroom. "I think it is this way." She heads up to the third floor and straight down the hall until she finds a door, sniffing the air once more to see if anyone was inside she opens the door revealing a quaint bathroom with a toilet, a large sink with a mirror above it and a large old fashioned claw tub. "Here you go. I'll leave you to it."
As Aleeria turns to leave, Patches lets put a whine of protest. "Don't go," he pleads, taking in the small space of the old bathroom. "I-I don't want to be alone." He could smell something dangerous and foreign in the air, and he didn't like it. "Something might...g-get me," he whispers with a shudder.
Aleeria turns to him. "Nothing is going to get you. I won't let anything get you. Do you want me to wait out here or?" she gestures to the bathroom. She knew he didn't like being alone in new places and thought that maybe one of them should stay with him.
Patches curls his lips inside his mouth and hesitantly grabs Aleeria's hand before pulling her into the bathroom. He looks at the tub and plugged the drain. With a twist of a bronze knob, the water began to flow-cold at first, but then gradually warmer. Patches moves around his friend and closes the door. He wiggles his arms out of his cloak and then reaches for the buttons on his shirt.
Aleeria looks away to give him at least some privacy. "This house could use a good scrub down." She looks through the cupboards.
He sheds off his shirt, boots, and everything else. The bathtub was only a quarter full. He found a little soap in the cupboard and added it under the faucet. "Thanks," he says.
"You are most welcome." Aleeria says leaning against the sink and closing her eyes as she opens up her other senses,she could smell everyone in the house all their different scents.
Patches waits patiently until the tub was at least halfway full before testing the water. It was much too hot, so he changes the knobs to now allow cool water into the bath. "When do we get to go home?"
"After we complete our mission I suppose." Aleeria answers as she opens her eyes and looks at the door. "But who knows when that will be. I just hope we can complete it soon."
"I want to go back as soon as it's safe again," Patches replies with conviction. "I don't know how long Master can go without me." He tries the water again and finds it pleasant. His lower body is soon hidden in the bubbles. "What is the mission?"
"To find out this secret weapon and help that boy Harry defeat what's his name." Aleeria replies reciting their mission. "How we will do that I do not know."
Patches runs his hands through the water as he thinks on the mission, he still was not sure why master Aro had sent him for the mission if he was only there to be protected. "Everyone has a weakness." He whispers softly
"Yes everyone does have a weakness and we just have to find his." Aleeria replies from where she stood by the door. "But how is the question."
Patches stares into the water for a moment before he looks up. "Maybe these people know something that could help." He says picking up a wash rag, putting soap on it and washing himself.
"We will just have to ask them." Aleeria looks at the door of the bathroom. "What do you think about these people?"
"I don't know..." he murmurs with a shrug of his shoulders. His fingers play in the bath water that was turning lukewarm by the minute. "Haven't really talked to them." Seeing that the water was no longer hot and he had thoroughly cleaned himself, he placed his hands on the sides of the top. "I'm going to come out," he informs her for a warning. He made sure she wasn't looking before lifting himself from the water and brushing the excess drips off his body.
"I see." Closing her eyes and reaching over Aleeria grabs a towel from the rack and walks over to him, holding the towel out for him her eyes closed the whole time.
Grabbing the towel Patches steps out of the tub and wraps it around himself, he noticed that Aleeria had closed her eyes to give him privacy. He quickly dried off his body then his hair and put his clothes back on, he would change when he got to his room. "I'm finished."
Aleeria opens her eyes and smiles, turning she walks to the door and opens it. "Straight to your room and rest. We have a long day tomorrow."
Patches nods and bids her goodnight heading towards his room. Watching to make sure he got to his room alright Aleeria heads to her own room that she shared with her mate.
Sighing softly she stretches her arms above her head before she starts removing her clothing leaving her in nothing but a black lace pushup bra with matching lace panties. Walking to the bed she lays down on her side facing away from the door.
"Vell Vell vhat a nice surprise to valk in on…"
